Reviews by Matt Owens
Read Matt Owens's Blog Follow Matt Owens on Twitter
Cruel Harvest
On 1/9 Matt Owens wrote: Grubb's memoir takes her readers back to the '50s when she and her family worked in the fields as migrant laborers. They followed the harvests, so for most of her childhood, she never knew a home other than tents, trailers, and the occasional cabin. Her father kept his kids from attending school partly ... A stirring story ... just wish there were a little more at the end
Tough Guys and Drama Queens
On 11/5 Matt Owens wrote: In nearly every aspect of life, I tend to be well-prepared and deliberate. A thinker, I am typically slow to react, though not quite at the snail’s pace I’ve found some church committees move. In music, I’m well-rehearsed. In writing posts here, I edit multiple times before clicking “publish.” ... Great help for the day of a possible drama queen
Preparation for Eternity with God
On 2/23 Matt Owens wrote: Preparation was an immediate disappointment. If someone were to ask why I think some preachers/pastors should not attempt to write a book, I would point to this one. I have little patience for books not written by writers. And for that matter, sermons delivered by non-preachers. Perhaps I'm being harsh ... Feeling No More Prepared
Bonhoeffer*
On 1/27 Matt Owens wrote: Where to begin with my review of Eric Metaxas’ Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy? How can 500 words or so really do justice to a 600-page analysis of the life of a Christian pastor who stood against Hitler and tried to guard his beloved Lutheran church from Nazi infiltration? It took me longer ... Getting to Know a Pastor-Martyr-Prophet-Spy
Daddy Dates
On 8/3 Matt Owens wrote: It gets me every time. That Subaru commercial with the little girl in the driver’s seat, her father anxiously offering last-minute safety reminders. I’m certain it melts the heart of every father to a daughter. They grow up far too fast. Greg Wright realized this and so crafted a renewed, purposeful ... That little girl in the Subaru commercial
Unleashed
On 6/9 Matt Owens wrote: While in its definition the word angst might seem disagreeable—that is, a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish—I may prefer the emotion over its antonyms: contentment, ease, nonchalance. Something has been stirring in my heart for some time, agitated by Bible study, conversations, events, and reading ... Unleashed to Follow the Barbarian Way
Sabbath
On 4/18 Matt Owens wrote: I’ve been putting off writing my review of Dan Allender’s Sabbath primarily because I’m still trying to piece together in my mind all that I’ve read. What is that struck me the most? Did Allender answer my questions about the often unheeded fourth commandment? Did he challenge my previously held ... Sabbath - A Day in Eden
The Sacred Meal
On 2/17 Matt Owens wrote: In The Sacred Meal, Gallagher attempts to explain the practice of the Eucharist—or Communion or the Lord’s Supper. She shares about her personal experiences regarding Communion from her first exposure while visiting a Catholic church as a child to her serving as a Lay Eucharist Minister in her Episcopal ... The Sacred Meal